Belgium presented a seven-point federal action plan to combat drug crime, Prime Minister Alexander de Croo and several ministers announced on Thursday during a press conference after a meeting of the National Security Council.
Part of the measures had already been announced, but a clear plan with seven points was revealed during Thursday's press conference. As part of the government's plan, a national drug commissioner will be appointed to fight against drug crime to coordinate, explains Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne.
More police and customs
Security in the port of Antwerp, where nearly 110 tons of cocaine was seized last year, is also being stepped up. New police forces will be created and the aim is to double these reinforcements by the end of 2024, says the cabinet.
Customs is also being strengthened. More customs brokers will be recruited and the government will also purchase modern, mobile scanning equipment to ensure that high-risk containers are always successfully scanned. People in sensitive positions who work in and for Belgium's ports, such as CEOs and drivers, are checked for links to organized crime. They are screened by the Federal Police, the General Intelligence and Security Service (ADIV-SGRS) and the State Security (VSSE), explains Van Quickenborne.
The process, which involves screening more than 16.000 people, has already begun, the minister added. The authorities also want to tackle the laundering of drug money. The government hopes to get a proposal through parliament that strengthens the role of local authorities in shutting down businesses linked to money laundering.
Fines for drug users
The new measures also affect drug users. The government wants to impose heavier fines on users. For cocaine users, the fine can be up to €1.000. For possession of cannabis, the fixed fine remains € 75 up to 10 grams and € 150 up to 20 grams. In addition, the immediate payment of the fine for drug possession is no longer limited to music festivals, but is extended to all public spaces.
International cooperation
In its seven-point plan, the federal government also wants to further develop cooperation with other countries and port operators in the field of customs and police. The police cooperation protocol signed a year ago between Belgium and the United Arab Emirates is already bearing fruit, the government said in a press release. This allowed the dismantling of a drug cartel that controlled about a third of the cocaine trade in Europe and was active between Belgium and Dubai, but also in France, Spain and the Netherlands.
Source: euroactiv.com (EN)
